


Stand Up

by thatwriterlady



Series: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016 [15]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016, Abusive ex-wife, Castiel has twins, DA Sam Winchester, Dad Castiel, Dean hides his feelings from Castiel, Dean is in love with Castiel, Dean talks about his feelings, Divorced Castiel, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, Neighbors, Professor Castiel, Protective Dean Winchester, Single Castiel, Single Dean Winchester, Strangers to Friends, Victim Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-09-01 14:53:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8628610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: ***WARNING*** TRIGGER FOR SPOUSAL ABUSE AT BEGINNING OF STORY Dean lives a rather peaceful life.  He has his own home, his brother and sister in law live across the street with their kids, so he sees his niece and nephews regularly, he has a fantastic job.  Overall, his life is pretty good.  He's content.  His neighborhood is quiet, family friendly, even if he's one of the few single people living there.  When a family moves in across the street, he's happy to see more kids out and about playing.  What he's not happy to see is a woman showing up and beating on his new neighbor.  Not being one to sit back and watch that kind of violence, Dean goes to the man's aide.  He doesn't expect this course of action to change the path he is on, or to affect the rest of his life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I suck at these summaries, but it's late, my allergies are making me wheeze, and my wifi is spotty, so I tried, lol. I wasn't sure at all on this one, so thankfully my beta had a few minutes to look it over. She had me remove a bunch of unnecessary content so it flows better. Hopefully you all like it. Enjoy! Sorry I'm behind again. I've overstayed my welcome with being allowed to use my best friend's wifi, so I've not been going over to her house as much. Therefore I am not getting as much wifi as I was. I'm trying though!

[](http://www.pizap.com/image/707476471pizapw1479863070.jpg)  
[](http://www.pizap.com/u/707476471) on [piZap.com](http://www.pizap.com)

 

 

 

 

**_Day 15: Teaching Each Other How to Do Something_ **

 

It was a sunny afternoon in early April when Dean noticed someone working in the yard across the street.  From this distance and the way they were bent over the garden under the picture window, he couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.  The house had stood empty all winter, but he had noticed when the “For Sale” sign came down a few weeks earlier.  So someone had finally bought it.  He took a few minutes to watch his new neighbor before heading back into his own house.  It was nice knowing that house wouldn’t stand empty anymore, and the family that had moved in was making an effort with those overgrown flower beds.  Dean couldn’t plant to save his life, but what he did have, he kept well maintained.  It would help beautify the neighborhood, and that was always good.

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

The second week of May, Dean brought his rocker back out onto the front porch.  His favorite thing to do in the warmer weather was to sit outside with the radio, rocking and watching the kids in the neighborhood play.  It reminded him of how he and Sam used to play with other kids at that age.  Sure, he might only be 38, but 2 of the kids he liked to watch over and make sure they stayed safe were his niece Rowan and his nephew Carson.  His brother Sam lived across the street with his wife, Sarah, their 2.5 kids, their dog Max, and 2 cockatiels named Homer and Marge that came into the marriage with Sarah.  Dean didn’t have a very active social life, but he didn’t mind.  He lived vicariously through his niece and nephews, since Sarah was due with their 3rd child, another boy they planned to name Rory.  Dean was content to spoil the kids like they were his own.  After his own failed marriage, he didn’t foresee kids of his own ever happening.  He’d long ago gotten over being upset about it though.  Around the time Rowan was born he had stopped thinking about his own losses and started thinking about his brother’s happiness, and then he’d let that become his own.

 

The first really warm day of spring, he took out his rocker and kicked back with some sweet tea and his cell phone.  A game of Words with Friends was pulled up, and he was busy trying to make something from the letters he had when he heard a car door close.  Looking up, he saw a car parked in front of the new neighbor’s house.  A woman had gotten out of a minivan with 2 little kids, and she was arguing with a man right on the front lawn.  Well, it was more like she was yelling and shoving him while he stood there quietly.  The kids were crying, begging her to stop, and when the little boy tried to get between the two adults just as she pulled back to punch the man, he ended up getting punched himself.  Dean was in shock.  He’d never witnessed domestic violence like that before, and he never wanted to again.  He was already on the phone dialing family friend and Sheriff Jody Mills' number even as he ran down his steps and across his front lawn to the street.

 

“Hey!  Get off him!” he shouted, not that the woman was listening.  As he raced across the street he could hear her blaming the man for her hitting the kid by accident.

 

“It’s your fault!  You’re such a pussy, no fucking backbone!” she screamed.  The man was huddled on the ground trying to cover both children with his own body as she proceeded to kick and punch him.  The closer Dean got, he could hear the man pleading for her to stop.  

 

“I said get  _off_  him!”  Dean had Jody on the line and had put the phone on speaker phone before tossing it gently to the grass and grabbing the woman as she kicked at the man again.  He shoved her back hard enough that she stumbled and fell on the sidewalk.

 

“Don’t you fucking  _touch_  me!  Who the fuck are you?!  You his new fucking bitch?  I’ll fucking  _kill you_!  You, him, the fucking little bastards he left me with!” 

 

Dean was horrified by her words, but he didn’t let that stop him from getting between her and the man who was still trying to protect the children.  Somewhere in the distance rose the sound of police sirens.  He almost wanted to breath a sigh of relief.  They couldn’t get here soon enough.

 

“Look, lady.  I don’t know you; I don’t know him, but what I do know?  Is this is domestic violence.  It’s against the law.  Threatening my life?  Against the law.  Threatening this guy’s life?  These kids?  It’s all against the law.  I don’t know what went on between you two but beating the ever loving snot out of someone in front of  _children_?  Nah, that ain’t happening in  _my_ neighborhood.”  

 

She got to her feet, staggering a bit to regain her footing.  The glare she gave him made his blood run cold.

 

“Fuck you!  Nosy bastard!”  She shoved him hard in the chest but he didn’t move, so she punched him with everything she had.  He still wouldn’t budge.

 

“Dean?  What the heck is going on here?”  

 

Sam had come out of the house next door, and Dean was glad.  This woman was nuts and the more witnesses they had, the better.

 

“I don’t know who this lady is but she attacked this man and hit him, and she hit the little boy.  I saw it all from my porch.  And now she’s hitting me.”

 

“Yeah, I saw that.”  Sam went to the man and the children, crouching down beside them.  “Are you alright?” he asked.  Dean didn’t turn away from the lady though.  Two squad cars came to a stop, blocking the woman’s van in.  Finally realizing she was in a heap of trouble, the woman tried to run but was easily caught and brought back.  Jody came strolling over to Dean, just now closing her phone.

 

“I heard all of that.  You ok?” she asked.  Dean felt the spot where she had punched him.  It hurt.  For a tiny little thing she really packed a wallop.

 

“I’m going to have bruises later.”  

 

“I’m sure.  It’s good though.  Evidence.”  She turned her attention to the man and the children, and so did Dean.  

 

“Hey, you alright, man?”  Dean went over, gently placing a hand on the man’s shoulder.  

 

“Yes, and thank you for stepping in.  I really am not weak.  I could defend myself, but my lawyer told me not to raise a hand to her.  That if she hit me, to let her do it, she’d be digging her own grave in court.  He told me witnesses would be good, but I didn’t know she would be showing up today, and I didn’t know anyone was out here.  I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.  I’ve installed cameras but they only catch the visual, not the audio.”  The man was rambling, and it was very clear how badly shaken he was.  The little boy was in his arms practically wailing, and Dean could see the bruise on the child’s cheek along with the blood dripping from his nose.  

 

“It’s no problem, man.  I couldn’t just stand by and let her do that.  I knew you were just trying to protect the kids.”  

 

The man was trembling, and he hugged the little boy tighter.  The little girl was sobbing, clinging to his leg, but he couldn’t lift her too.  Dean crouched down so he was at eye level with her.

 

“Hey, are you ok?”  he asked.  She turned teary blue eyes on him, and it broke his heart to see how her lips trembled and the tears spilled down her cheeks.

 

“M-mama, she hurt Devie!” she cried.

 

“Is Devie your brother?”  Dean asked.  She nodded.

 

“Well, don’t you worry, sweetheart.  Devie is safe, and you are safe.  No one’s going to hurt your brother again.”  He smoothed a lock of pale blonde hair from the little girl’s face.  She surprised him when she pulled off the man’s leg and threw her arms around his neck.

 

“Thank you for helping my daddy.” she managed to say through her tears.  An ambulance had arrived, and he spotted Sam talking to one of the attendants.  Their cousin Jo.  Thank God, she had a knack with kids.  Dean scooped the little girl up and held her while Jody questioned the new neighbor.  Sam and Jo came over to Dean.

 

“Hi, cutie, my name’s Jo.  What’s your name?”  Jo asked.  She had a warm and inviting smile that little kids always seemed to be drawn to, and this little girl was no different.

 

“Claire.  ‘N dat’s my brother Devie.”  The little girl pointed to her still-crying brother, whom the man was holding.

 

“And did you get hurt, Claire?  Any boo boos I have to look at?”  Jo was looking the little girl over, but Dean was pretty sure she was ok.

 

“No, but Devie has an owie.  See?  His nose is bleeding.”  Claire reminded Dean of himself at that age, always wanting to protect Sam.  Jo’s partner Jose was already assessing the little boy’s injuries.  He wouldn’t leave the man’s arms, so he was trying to check the boy’s vitals where he was.  It wasn’t going well.

 

“Hold up, time out.”  Dean said, stepping in.  Everyone turned to look at him.  “How about you do your interview down at the hospital?  This little boy took a punch to the face, and he needs medical care.  I know you got hit, and so did I.”  He looked at the man, who nodded.  Dean noticed he had a black eye and his blue eyes still looked quite frantic.  He was probably in shock.  “So let’s worry about medical care first, questioning later, yeah?”

 

Jody nodded in agreement.  The man offered his hand to Dean.

 

“Thank you.  My name is Castiel Novak.”

 

“Dean.  Winchester.”  Dean shook his hand firmly.  The man’s eyes widened with recognition.

 

“Wait…you’re  _Mayor_  Winchester?”

 

Dean nodded.  “I am.  And Sam here?  That’s my younger brother.  He’s the DA.  What that lady did?  She’s not getting away with it.”

 

The man actually sobbed with obvious relief as his eyes welled up with tears.

 

“Oh, thank you!  You have no idea how much I needed to hear that!”

 

Dean held Claire on one hip while he put an arm around Castiel’s shoulders and guided him towards the waiting ambulance.  Jo and Jose had gone ahead to set everything up, and Dean helped Castiel up into it.  The little boy was still clinging to his chest, his face buried to hide it from the overstimulation.  When Castiel held out an arm, Dean handed Claire over too.  

 

“Thank you again, Mayor.  Will I get to see you again?”  Castiel asked.  Dean smiled.

 

“We’re neighbors.  Course we’ll see each other again.”

 

“Dean, come here.”  Jody was a few feet away talking to some of her officers.  Dean gave a nod to Castiel before walking over to her.

 

“I want you at the hospital too, to document those bruises.”  She nodded towards his chest, which he just realized he was absently rubbing.  The little hellion that hit him was stronger than she looked.  He lifted up the edge of his shirt and saw the bruises that were indeed blossoming.

 

“I’ll go with him,”  Sam said as he walked over.  “Sorry I didn’t come out sooner; I was watching the game, and it was loud.  It wasn’t until a commercial break when I muted the TV to ask Sarah something that I heard the yelling out here.”  He sounded guilty, and Dean was having none of that.

 

“It’s ok, Sammy.  You didn’t know.  I had no idea who she was either till Castiel said she’s his ex.  I just saw her get out of the van and right away she got in his face and started screaming.  I tried to stay out of it but the little boy tried to get between them, and she punched the kid trying to get at Cas.  I had to step in.  She looked ready to beat them all down.”  Dean dropped his shirt and patted his brother’s arm.  “But let’s get going.  Jody, you going to follow us?”

 

“You know it, I have statements to get.”  She had jotted down what he’d already said, but he knew she’d have a lot more questions.  Sam found the phone Dean had tossed in the grass and handed it to him.

 

“Let’s get going.”

 

Dean nodded.  “The sooner this is over, the better.”

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

Dean got back from the hospital a little more than 2 hours later.  Thankfully Sarah had come by to close his house up for him.  He’d stopped off to get some dinner and let himself into the house.  His chest ached but not horribly so.  A nurse had given him some ibuprofen so he felt a dull ache as he kicked off his boots and laid back on the couch.  No sooner had he gotten comfortable and pulled the first of his containers of Chinese food out of the bag when the bell rang.  Had it been Sam or Sarah they’d have knocked once and let themselves in, so this was someone else.  He set the food aside and got up to answer the door.

 

“Hello, Mayor.”  Castiel was standing on his porch, alone, his hands wringing nervously in front of him.

 

“Hey, you don’t have to call me Mayor, you know.  My name’s Dean.”  Dean leaned against the door frame.  “Everything ok?”

 

“I spoke with my lawyer, and tomorrow I have a meeting with the DA and my lawyer together.  It will probably get to you anyway, but I thought I would give you a heads up.  My lawyer has informed me that witnesses will need to testify in court about what they saw.  He says if they don’t, Meg, that’s my ex, will get to walk free,  _and_  it’s possible she’ll get to retain her share of custody.  She has walked before after assaulting me.  I want to make sure she never does it again, for the sake of my children. So I thought I would come and speak to you in person before you get a random call by my lawyer, or by the DA,”  Castiel explained.  

 

“Do you have a minute or do you have to get back to the kids?”  Dean asked.

 

“They’re with my brother and already in bed for the night; I have time,”  Castiel replied.

 

Dean stepped aside and motioned for him to come inside.  “I was just sitting down to a late dinner.  Have you eaten?”

 

“No, I grabbed some nuggets for the kids, anything to keep Devon calm, but I was too stressed out,”  Castiel admitted.

 

“How is he doing?”  Dean was worried about the little boy.  He’d been inconsolable earlier.

 

“His doctors are trying to determine whether he has high functioning autism or Asperger’s, and he doesn’t do well with confrontation.  He also doesn’t like people touching him unless he trusts them, or loud noises.  This entire day was terrible for him.  The chicken nuggets and then the hot cocoa my brother gave them helped a lot.  I’m sure I’ll be dealing with the aftermath of this for a long while though.”  

 

“Oh, geez, poor little guy.”  Dean felt even worse for the little boy now.  “I ordered too much Chinese, and you’re welcome to have some.”  Dean led him into the living room and motioned to the couch.  Castiel sat down and waited while Dean decided to be civil and grab plates.  When he returned he dished out food for them both and handed one of the plates to his neighbor.

 

“Thank you.  This does smell good.”  Castiel smiled faintly as he accepted the food.

 

“If you want to order Chinese, this is the best place in the city.  The food is good; they get your order right, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg,”  Dean said by way of conversation as he settled back into his seat.  “Now, you said you’ll need my testimony in court?  I will gladly give it.  So will Sam, who, by the way,  _is_  the DA.”

 

Castiel smiled softly.  "You told me earlier that he's the DA.  I'm still a little shocked that I moved onto the same block as the mayor  _and_  the DA though.”

 

“He’s my kid brother, too.”  Dean grinned when he saw the man's surprise about that.  “This is a very close community.  We watch out for one another, and we care.  You and your family are safe here.”

 

Castiel was humbled by his words.  “Thank you.  I just-I wanted a safe place to raise my kids, but I currently have joint custody with Meg and she’s been making it miserable for me.  Not returning them to me on time, picking them up late, and always tearing into me for something.  The worst was right after I filed for divorce.  She…put me in the hospital.  My lawyer tried to stick it to her, but it didn’t carry over the way we’d hoped into family court.  The judge struck it from the record, the bastard.  I found out later he has a strong stance against the LGBT community, and somehow, that had been brought up in court by Meg’s lawyer.  I think the judge was selected by hand for his anit-LGBT stance.”

 

Dean frowned.  “Which judge?”

 

“Richard Roman.”  Castiel replied.  Dean’s frown turned into a scowl.

 

“Yes, I’ve heard some complaints about him.  I can pull a few strings, get you in with Judge Shurley for this.  He’s sympathetic.  His son is gay and his daughter is bisexual.  He won’t let anything like that play a factor, so no matter what your ex’s lawyer says to try and sway the judge regarding your orientation, it won’t work.”

 

Castiel paused with a plastic fork full of Kung Pao chicken halfway to his mouth and stared at him with wide, blue eyes.

 

“You can do that?”

 

“I have some favors owed to me.  If we can keep you and your kids safe, then it’s worth it.”  Dean had noticed how blue the man’s eyes were, but what drew his attention even more was the black eye and bruised cheek.

 

“How bad does your face hurt?” he asked.  Castiel looked away, clearly ashamed.

 

“I don’t make a habit of letting people beat on me.  She’s the only person that has ever done that.”

 

“I didn’t think you were, but that wasn’t the question.”  Dean smiled softly, trying to ease Castiel’s embarrassment.  “I get the situation.  You put your kids first.  I admire that.  I had a less than pleasant ex too.  Not physically abusive, but verbally.  We’re not married anymore for a reason.”  

 

Castiel chewed the food in his mouth and swallowed before speaking again.

 

“I saw that a few years back on one of those local gossip shows, they talked about your divorce.  It was right about the time you were planning to run for mayor the first time.  They tried to make it seem controversial because you were married to a man.  I, on the other hand, felt like there was someone in a government position that represented me.  I voted for you.  Both times.  If you run again, I’ll vote again.”  He smiled around a mouthful of noodles when Dean chuckled.

 

“I thank you for that.  My brother talked me into running.  He felt I could make a real difference.  We’ve had a talk and he wants me to run for governor next, and he’ll run for mayor.  His policies are the same as mine, so it won’t be much change at all.  I just want to make a difference, and raise awareness.”  Dean still had 3 years before he had to decide what he was going to do.  He was happy as mayor.  Running for governor meant he’d have to move, and he didn’t really want to do that.

 

“Well, you’ve done wonders for this city.  Your policies really hit home for me.  Thanks to your support of the LGBT community I finally had the guts to stop hiding.  I was in a miserable marriage that my parents had pressured me into.  They told me I needed the wife, the 2.5 kids, the house in the burbs, the whole shebang.  I just blindly followed along.  Met Meg through my sister-in-law and when we were told we made a cute couple, I ran with it.  Six months later I was getting pressured by my family to propose, but I held off till the following spring.  She said yes; we got married a year after that.  She wanted to wait for kids though, and I was ok with that.  Turns out she just didn’t want kids.  My parents pressured us though, and even she gave in.  She got pregnant with the twins, and I was excited.  I’ve always wanted kids, and I know she tried to deliberately miscarry more than once, but my babies were resilient.  I reevaluated my marriage while she was pregnant and when she started going out after they were born, sometimes for up to 48 hours at a time, I went and talked to a lawyer, found out what my rights were, and…I filed for divorce.  I have a good job, offered stability, and I wanted my kids.  She only fought me for custody to make my life miserable.  Yet the courts keep giving her visitation, over and over.  I moved here in hopes that a new county would mean a new court system and maybe I could finally get full custody.  The last time I took her to court, after she didn’t return them for a week and brought them back bruised, filthy, and Devon had sores in his mouth from where he’d been hit and bitten his cheeks, the judge  _still_  gave her custody.  We battled in court for 4 years.  I bought this house so I’d have somewhere bigger for the kids to grow up, and so that Meg couldn’t randomly show up at my house at every hour of the day or night.  She lives an hour away.  I just want this to be over.  I don’t want my kids to have to keep putting up with her anger and hatred.”  

 

Dean ate as he listened.  He felt bad for the guy.  No one should have to go through what he was experiencing.  Castiel looked worn out, more so than a man his age should ever have to.  

 

“Well, this should be a fresh start for you and the kids then.  You need it.”  Dean really felt that things would get better for them.  Castiel smiled.

 

“I really feel like it will be.”

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

Life went on after that.  Dean spoke to Sam about the case, as much as he was able to, and when he was asked to testify, he did so.  Meg Novak lost her rights to her children, and Castiel was able to place a restraining order against her.  Then the assault case went to court.  She was charged with everything Sam could throw at her, and in the end she was sent away for 18 months.  Castiel took to gardening more, and whenever he saw Dean outside, he’d come over to talk.  His bruises and black eye had long since healed, as had Devon’s, and Dean was happy to see the kids joining in with the other kids in the neighborhood to play.  

 

Dean realized about the third week of June that he liked Castiel as something more than a friend.  Once in a while they had a beer together while they watched the kids playing, and he decided to take his new friend up on his offer to help him start a couple of flower beds under his kitchen window.  Castiel, as he had learned, was a botany and horticulture professor at the university, so he trusted the man to know what he was talking about.  Dean had a swing set in his own backyard for Sam’s kids so Castiel would bring his own over to play on it with Rowan and Carter while he and Dean dug in the dirt.  They took their time, turning over the soil, selecting flowers that Castiel thought would do well and be beneficial and that Dean thought looked nice in his yard.  He enjoyed the time they spent together, and he realized his feelings were moving beyond just a little crush.  

 

In August the kids started back to school.  Castiel had taken the summer session off, but he returned to work too and Dean saw less of him.  He didn’t realize how much that would bother him until he found himself looking for reasons to have Castiel over, or to stop by.  The kids had come to love him.  Claire ran to him whenever she saw him, and even Devon wanted to be picked up and carried around by him.  He found himself longing for a family of his own, something his ex hadn’t wanted, but Castiel was still healing from the emotional damage his own ex had done, and Dean was loathe to push him if he wasn’t interested.  He knew that Castiel and the kids were all in therapy.  As a family they needed to heal, but that didn’t stop him from wishing there could be something more between them.

 

Summer faded to fall, and Dean’s own workload increased.  His free time was spent watching Rowan and Carter so his sister-in-law wasn’t losing her mind with the new baby.  He didn’t mind, and it helped to fill up his free time.  He saw less and less of Castiel, but his feelings hadn’t changed.  As much as he wanted to ask the man out, he didn’t.  Aside from some shared looks and standing a bit too close together sometimes, he hadn’t gotten any clues as to how the other man felt.  The holidays were rapidly approaching, and Dean threw himself into his work.  There were city planning meetings to attend, events to attend, and it was all wearing him out.  Just before Christmas, as Dean was going over another mound of paperwork, Sam stopped by his office bearing lunch.

 

“You need to stop and breathe, man.”  Sam laughed as he dropped into one of the chairs opposite Dean’s.  

 

“Yeah, I know, but this is always a busy time of year for me.”  Dean rubbed his temples as he felt the start of a headache coming on.  Sam set a bag of food down in front of him.

 

“Thought you might like something to eat.”

 

Dean smiled as he pulled the bag closer.

 

“Thanks, man.  I forgot breakfast, and I didn’t have the time to stop and grab something for lunch.”  

 

“So Sarah and I got a sitter for the Christmas party.  Do you want us to just meet you or do you want to drive with us?”  Sam asked.  Dean was opening the wrapper on his burger and sighed at the question.

 

“I think I’ll drive myself.  I don’t want to hold you guys up if you have to get home sooner to the kids.  There’s no reason for you guys to have to wait on me.”

 

“You bringing a date?”  

 

Dean shook his head as he took a bite of the sandwich.  

 

“Why not?  There has to be dozens of people you could ask.”  Sam could be a nosey bastard when he wanted to be.  He watched Dean as he set his salad on the desk and dug in.

 

“I’m not bringing a date.  I’m not leaving room for rumors when I’m not seeing anyone.”  Dean grabbed a couple of fries and shoved them in his mouth.  

 

“Rumors happen no matter what.  Society thrives on them.  Would it really be so bad if people thought you were seeing someone?”  Sam asked. 

 

“Maybe not for me, but for the other person?  It could disrupt their life.  It’s not worth it.  Tessa lost her job last year because I took her to the New Year’s party and the media decided it was cool to hound her, day and night, to find out if we were a couple.  She did me a favor, and I got her screwed over,”  Dean reminded him.

 

“But you got her job back for her,”  Sam reminded him.

 

“Yes, but it never should have come to that.  I’m the mayor, not some famous actor.  My life is not that interesting.”  Dean had gone head to head with the media for harassing him and his family at their homes.  They had mostly backed off, but he still got followed to public events and parties.

 

Sam munched on his salad for a while, but his silence was suspicious as far as Dean was concerned.  He had just finished his own food and thrown everything out when Sam spoke up again.

 

“You know, you could invite Castiel.”

 

“No, I couldn’t.”  Dean pulled his keyboard back out to continue with his work.  Sam knew that wasn’t a sign he had to leave.  His brother just had to keep working as they talked.

 

“And why not?  He likes you, you like him.  Why  _haven’t_  you asked him out yet anyway?”

 

Dean swore his eyes should have been permanently fixed to face the back of his skull with how much he rolled them at his brother.

 

“We’re friends, Sammy.”  He didn’t know what else to say.  Yes, he wanted something more with the handsome teacher, but he wasn’t going to make the first move.  Sam closed the lid on his empty salad bowl and dropped it in the garbage.  When he looked at Dean next he had his lips pursed in annoyance.

 

“I see the way you look at him, Dean.  You care about him, and before you say it, I know it’s as more than just friends.  So ask him.  He’s a big boy and can handle it.  Besides, I think he’d jump at the chance to go out with you.  I see the way he looks at you, too, and the way he stares at your house when you’re not around, like he’s hoping you’ll magically appear.  He went through a bad divorce with an evil witch of a woman.  He needs someone that will treat him right.” 

 

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose.  The headache was threatening to turn into a full blown migraine.

 

“I can’t, ok?  I just…can’t.”

 

Sam shook his head as he stood up.  

 

“I think you should reconsider.  I have to run; I have court at 3.  Catch you later.”

 

“Later.”   Dean gave a halfhearted wave as his brother strode out of the office before letting his hand flop onto the desk.  Was Sam seeing something he wasn’t?  Did Castiel like him?

 

He was still wondering that as he drove home that night.  It was Friday, and he was planning to finally put his tree up.  Tomorrow he’d get the kids over to help him decorate and give Sarah a break for a few hours.  Tonight though, he just wanted to get the tree itself up.  He’d barely pulled into his garage before he saw a familiar figure crossing the street towards him.

 

“Hey, Cas, how have you been?” he asked as the other man stopped in front of him.  The smile that graced Castiel’s lips was beautiful, and he loved seeing it.  He thought maybe he’d move heaven and earth to see more of it, if he could.

 

“Dean, do you know anything about making pie?”

 

Dean snorted.  Did he know how to make pie!

 

“Heck yeah, I do.  Why do you ask?”

 

For a moment his heart seemed to squeeze tight with the fear that maybe the man was seeing someone and wanted to impress them.

 

“Because Devon got a taste of cherry pie, thanks to my brother, and that’s what he wants for Christmas now.  Except I’ve never made a pie in my life, and I don’t know what I’m doing.  The first one I made, you could paste the walls with the filling.  I used this stuff from a can and-”

 

“Oh, no, never use the canned stuff!”  Dean cut him off.  It was cold, and he didn’t want to stay out here where his feet were starting to go numb in his dress shoes.  “Come inside, we can talk where it’s warm.”

 

Castiel followed him inside and waited patiently for him to take off his coat and to go upstairs to change into a tee shirt and sweats.  When Dean made his way back downstairs he could see Castiel sitting on the couch, his coat folded on the seat beside him.

 

“So you want to make cherry pie.  I have my mother’s recipe.  It’s a completely homemade one though.  You can cheat and buy a premade crust, and I’ll be honest, I do that more often than not, but the filling I always make from scratch.  When were you planning to make it?”  Dean asked as he sat down on the other end of the couch.

 

“Well, Gabriel has the kids for the weekend.  He’s taking them to see our parents so I have time to wrap gifts and make this stupid pie for my son, except I can barely make chocolate chip cookies.  How am I supposed to make a pie?”

 

He sounded stressed out, but Dean couldn’t resist smiling.  

 

“Why didn’t you just buy one?”

 

“Chemicals.  He has allergies and sensitivities, and it wasn’t until after I’d burned that pie that I thought to look at the can from the filling and realized he wouldn’t have been able to eat it anyway.  So I need to make it from scratch.  I’m a truly awful baker,”  Castiel lamented.  

 

“Ok, well, what ingredients do you already have?”  Dean asked.

 

“I bought 2 bags of frozen, organic cherries because I’m sorry, I love my son but I have better things to do than to pit cherries.  I have sugar, salt, cornstarch.  I found this recipe…”  Castiel pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it over.  Dean opened it and reviewed it.

 

“I didn’t want to seem sexist, but their house was closer so I asked Sarah first.  She told me to come to you, that you make a better pie than anyone in town, save for your mother.”

 

Dean smiled at him and felt his stomach flutter when Castiel smiled back.

 

“Not a problem, Cas.  Go grab your cherries.  I have the rest of it all here.”

 

They stood up, and Castiel put his coat back on.  He left, closing the door behind himself and giving Dean a few minutes to compose himself.  Not how he’d intended to spend his Friday night, but it beat sitting alone and watching cooking shows like he’d planned.

 

“What the hell are you doing, Winchester?  Get it together!’  He huffed as he went to the kitchen and started getting out the mixing bowls and pie tins.  

 

“Dean?”

 

“In the kitchen.  Just hang your coat up and come on in here,”  Dean called back as he got down the rest of the ingredients.

 

“Thank you for this,”  Castiel said as he laid the bags on the counter.

 

“You don’t need to thank me.  I want to help.  If this makes Devon’s Christmas better, then I am glad to be able to show you.  I like to bake.  I do it for the family now since my mom’s arthritis is too much for much more than some simple baking.  I’ll let you make the filling, which is extremely easy to do, and I’ll make the dough for the crust, but I’ll show you what I’m doing so you’ll know too.”  Dean set out his bag of organic, unprocessed sugar, something Sam had insisted he switch over to, and suddenly he was glad for it.  Organic flour, cornstarch, and other ingredients made him feel more confident that this would be a pie Devon could eat without getting sick from.  And Castiel seemed to notice too as he read the labels on everything.

 

“Do you generally cook with organic products?”

 

“Yes.  Sam did a diet overhaul about 10 years ago, and decided that I needed to eat better too.  A lot of my stomach issues went away when I started eating healthier, so he had a good idea with that one.  I even switched to an organic beer.  The ones I give you when you’re over?  That’s them.”  Dean said as he put the cherries into a saucepan with sugar and cornstarch.

 

“Oh, I did notice that.  I like that beer and bought some for myself, actually.”  Castiel moved to stand next to the stove, watching him measure in the ingredients.

 

“I’m not as big as him on salads and stuff, but I try to eat heathier.”  Dean handed a wooden spoon to Castiel.  “Stir.  The cherries will start to get juicy.  Don’t turn the heat up or they’ll pop and you can get hurt.”

 

When the cherries were done Dean reached past him to turn the burner off.  He was startled a second later when Castiel hugged him.

 

“I looked at all of the schools in state before I chose to move here.  I was already in this county, but I thought it might be in our best interest to move somewhere farther away.  I was afraid my son would end up getting sick because someone wouldn’t be paying attention, but my job is here, so we just moved to the other end of the county.  He has an aide in his kindergarten class that is trained in first aid for children with extreme allergies, and she has kept him safe.  He loves school and learning.  I wouldn’t want to take that away from him because of my own fears.”

 

Dean relaxed into the embrace and brought his arms up to hug him back.  It felt nice.  

 

“Come on, I’ll show you how to make the dough.”  

 

Reluctantly Dean pulled away and walked back to the counter where he had the ingredients ready for the pie crust.  Castiel followed and watched carefully to every ingredient that was added.

 

“He’s not allergic to any of this, is he?”  Dean asked.

 

“No, nothing here is anything he would have issues with,”  Castiel confirmed.  He moved closer, peering over Dean’s arm as he added the different ingredients into the bowl.  Dean was busy talking him through it as he began to roll the dough out when there came a knock at the door.  A moment later they heard it open.

 

“Just Sam or Sarah.”  Dean explained as he handed the rolling pin to him.  “Roll evenly.  Not too thin.”

 

Castiel nodded and took over the rolling as Sam appeared in the doorway.

 

“Ah, so I see he got your help.”  

 

“I was using mom’s recipe,”  Dean explained.  Sam nodded and walked over to the cherries cooling in the pot on the stove.  

 

“Sure smell good.”

 

“You can have some when it’s finished.  Keep your grubby fingers out of there,”  Dean warned.  Sam turned back to them, grinning.

 

“Yeah, yeah.”  Sam leaned back against the counter and watched as Dean talked Castiel through fitting the crust into the pie pan, and then poured the cherries in.  Dean carefully laid a second piece of dough over the cherries and began sealing the edges.  Sam took that as his moment to speak up without Dean’s attention being completely on him.

 

“So, did you ask Castiel yet?”

 

The fork he’d been carefully sealing the edges with slipped and clattered to the floor, making Dean curse under his breath.

 

“Ask me what?”  Castiel asked.  Dean shot his brother a look that actually made his skin prickle with how dark it was before heading to the sink to drop the fork in.  He grabbed another one from the drawer and returned to the pie.  The rest was pressed together sloppily.

 

“Mayor’s Christmas Ball.  It’s a big party, invite only.”  Sam smiled smugly at his brother.  “And I thought Dean would have asked you already to be his date.”

 

“Son of a bitch!”  The second fork slipped from Dean’s fingers and this time hit him in the foot before bouncing across the floor.

 

“You wanted to ask me to go with you?”  Castiel turned to look at Dean, who was dropping the second fork into the sink.

 

“Uh…”  Dean wanted to kill his brother.  In fact, he was planning on doing that later.  Mayorship be damned…

 

“Dean?”  

 

He heard the note of hope in the man’s first question but the second time, he sounded more disappointed.

 

“I thought you’d say no, so I wasn’t going to bother.”

 

“Why would you think I’d say no?”  Castiel crossed over to where Dean stood by the sink.

 

Dean tried to come up with an adequate answer.  Castiel hadn’t admitted to liking him so he was loathe to confess that he’d wanted to ask him out for months.

 

“I took a friend last year.  Just as friends, and the media had a field day speculating as to whether we were seeing one another.  “I’m  _gay_ , and they thought suddenly I had a girlfriend.  They were that desperate for some kind of gossip.  Anyway, she lost her job over it.  She’s a nurse and they came into the hospital trying to get her to give them info.  They hounded her until she ended up snapping and punching one of them.  It was a big mess, they sued, she countersued, I had to step in and get her job back after the hospital fired her.  She won the lawsuit for job harassment and they stopped bothering her.  I had to do a press conference and warn them to back the hell off and leave the people I associate with alone.”

 

Castiel stepped closer. 

 

“You’re worried they’ll do that to me?”

 

Dean worried at his lower lip and nodded.  

 

“Dean, I’m a big boy.  I can take care of myself.  The mess with Meg…that was because I was advised not to hit back, or I could lose my kids.  But I can handle nosey media.  They came around during and after the case with Meg, wanted to know how I knew you, how you happened to be there, and they showed up at my work.  The university escorted them off campus, and they lost interest when I proved to be uncooperative.  They even made vague threats but I knew they didn’t have a leg to stand on, so I just ignored them and eventually they went away.  If you want me to, I’d  _like_  to attend with you.  As your date.”  Castiel brought a hand up and tentatively placed it against Dean’s chest, as though uncertain whether his touch was welcome.  Dean immediately placed his own over it and held it close.

 

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

 

Neither man had noticed Sam had left until they returned to the pie making and realized the kitchen was empty, save for the 2 of them.  Castiel rolled out the crust for the next pie under Dean’s guidance and filled it.  This time Dean handed the fork to him and let him place the second crust on top to seal.

 

“So, how long have you wanted to ask me out?”  Castiel asked as he pressed down the edges of the dough.

 

“W-what?”  Dean stuttered out, caught off guard by the question.

 

“You heard me.”  Castiel smirked as he lifted the pie he had just finished.

 

“Wait.”  Dean picked up the fork and made a flower pattern in the center of the dough.  “Alright.”

 

Castiel smiled before moving to the oven and sliding the pie in.  He hadn’t realized Dean had pre-heated it until the hot air blasted his face.  Dean appeared at his side with the second pie and slid it in next to the first.  After closing the oven door, Dean set the timer.

 

“You ever going to answer me?”  Castiel asked.

 

“I didn’t want you to think I was an asshole, because I’m really not,”  Dean said as he began cleaning up.

 

“I would never.  You are one of the nicest men I know.”  Castiel placed the sticky pot from the cherries in the sink and filled it with soap and hot water.

 

“Yeah, but after everything you’ve been through, and the kids…I didn’t want to be selfish.”  Dean washed the rolling pin and the bowls that were placed in the sink.  

 

“Dean I wanted to ask you out that first night I stopped by and you invited me to stay for dinner, but I didn’t think you were interested.”

 

Dean shut the water off and turned to look at him.

 

“Seriously?”

 

Castiel shrugged.  “I’m gay, but I have only just begun to think about dating.  I’m horrible with flirting; I always have been, and I was afraid if I flirted with you, you’d think there was something wrong with me.  The last time I saw an attractive man, I complimented his nose hair.   _His nose hair,_ Dean.”

 

Dean barked out a laugh at that.

 

“I’m guessing you didn’t get laid.”

 

Castiel snorted and rolled his eyes.

 

“No.  I’ve been in one relationship since Meg and I split, and it wasn’t the guy with the nose hair.  For the record, I don’t find nose hair attractive.”

 

Dean laughed, a full belly sound that shook his whole body.

 

“Good to know.”

 

Castiel was back in his space again, his hand grabbing the front of Dean’s shirt and dragging him closer.

 

“So there is no further confusion, I find you  _very_  attractive, Dean.  And I believe you have no problem with the fact that I have small children.  Would I be right?”

 

Dean smiled as he placed his hands on Castiel’s hips.  

 

“Cas, I love your kids.”

 

“They feel the same way about you.  You won Claire over that very first day, and it was only a few weeks before Devon was asking for you, and whether we were going to come over to play at your house or watch movies with you.  And you never pushed them away.  That means a lot to me.”  Castiel leaned into him and Dean took that as a good sign.  He wrapped his arms around the man and pulled him even closer.

 

“Since we’re being honest, I’m crazy about them, and I’m crazy about you.  I always wanted kids of my own.  My ex, he didn’t.  Then we got divorced and I didn’t see it ever happening for me, so I spoil my niece and nephews.  But I’d like to take you on more than just one date, Cas, and see where things go.  I know the kids are a package deal.”

 

“Would you just kiss me already?”  Castiel asked.  Dean didn’t have to be asked twice.

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

It turned out Dean’s worries were for naught.  When he brought Castiel as his date, the media was immediately on them, but he didn’t have to talk them down.  Instead, he introduced Castiel proudly as his boyfriend, much to the surprise of everyone.  The shock wore off quickly, though, and soon the city couldn’t get enough of the mayor and what was quickly tagged as his “new little family.”  Though their initial meeting had been rather traumatic, they more than made up for it since then.  Dean learned how to keep plants alive and make his house fit in more with all of the others that had beautifully landscaped flower beds, and Castiel learned to make a lot more than just cherry pie.  Dean taught him to make a wide variety of cookies, cakes, breads, but it didn’t stop there.  Dean found a family with Castiel, and shortly before his decision to make a 3rd run for mayor, he got down on one knee and proposed.  He fully expected Castiel to say no.  Hell, the man’s first marriage had been an utter nightmare, but he didn’t.  Instead, he said yes without hesitation, and after a landslide victory, they tied the knot in a private ceremony.  He became a husband again, and a father.  The difference being that he knew this time it was forever.  It was the beginning of the rest of their lives, and Dean loved every single moment.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome. I hope you liked this one.


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